John M. Gildersleeve was promoted to partner of Munger Tolles & Olson LLP in Los Angeles.

Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP announced John M. Gildersleeve has been elected to partner in Los Angeles, effective Jan. 1. Gildersleeve focuses his practice on securities and complex commercial litigation in state and federal court.

Margaret Grace Maraschino was promoted to partner of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP in Los Angeles.

Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP announced Margaret Grace Maraschino has been elected to partner in Los Angeles, effective Jan. 1. Maraschino's practice primarily focuses on labor and employment matters. She defends national and California companies against wage and hour class and collective actions, discrimination claims and termination challenges.

Mark R. Yohalem was promoted to partner of Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP in Los Angeles.

Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP announced Mark R. Yohalem has been elected to partner in Los Angeles, effective Jan. 1. Yohalem focuses his practice on complex litigation and appeals. He has represented media companies in trial and appellate matters concerning the First Amendment and corporate control; retailers in state and federal tax appeals; energy companies in federal appeals and state administrative proceedings; and a variety of clients in pro bono matters before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Kathleen Celia Ryan joined Akerman LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

Akerman LLP announced Kathleen Celia Ryan has joined as a partner in Los Angeles. Ryan focuses her practice on fair lending and regulatory compliance matters, particularly on issues related to the Fair Housing Act, Equal Credit Opportunity Act, Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, Community Reinvestment Act, Truth in Lending Act, and UDAAP. She previously served as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's Deputy Assistant Director for the Office of Regulations.

Stephen Abreu was promoted to counsel of King & Spalding LLP in San Francisco.

King & Spalding LLP announced Stephen Abreu has been promoted to counsel in San Francisco. Abreu negotiates and drafts a range of intellectual property and commercial agreements for life sciences companies, such as strategic partnering and collaboration agreements, intellectual property licenses, and commercial manufacturing, supply and distribution agreements.

Amber Melia Trincado was promoted to counsel of King & Spalding LLP in San Francisco.

King & Spalding LLP announced Amber Melia Trincado has been promoted to counsel in San Francisco. Trincado focuses on the defense of complex litigation, as well as product liability and toxic tort claims. She represents clients in the chemical, oil and energy industries in state and federal courts throughout the country.

William Scott Cameron was promoted to counsel of King & Spalding LLP in Sacramento.

King & Spalding LLP announced William Scott Cameron has been promoted to counsel in San Francisco & Sacramento. Cameron represents clients in civil litigation in state and federal courts, including False Claims Act cases and represents healthcare providers in disputes against health plans. He also handles antitrust, breach of contract and constitutional law cases.

Jennifer Audrey DePalma joined King & Spalding LLP as counsel in Silicon Valley.

King & Spalding LLP announced Jennifer Audrey DePalma has joined its corporate practice as counsel in Silicon Valley. DePalma counsels private and public companies, as well as venture capital and private equity investors, on matters of mergers and acquisitions, financings, initial public offerings and corporate governance. Her practice focuses on the representation of companies developing technologies and intellectual property, particularly in the life sciences, biotech, healthcare and financial technology sectors and on the blockchain.

Robert Dewey Purcell joined California Secure Choice as board member in Sacramento.

Gov. Jerry Brown announced Robert Dewey Purcell has been appointed to the California Secure Choice Retirement Savings investment board. Purcell was a director in the Public Employee Department at the Laborers' International Union of North America from 1997 to 2012, a political organizer for the California Democratic Party from 1988 to 1989 and a political director at Neighbor-to-Neighbor from 1986 to 1988.

Jason Milan Savich was promoted to partner of Cooley LLP in San Francisco.

Cooley LLP announced Jason Milan Savich has been elected partner in San Francisco, effective Jan. 1. Savich advises borrowers, banks and non-bank lenders in a broad range of public and private debt financings, including convertible and high-yield bonds, acquisition financings, secured and unsecured credit facilities and various structured financings.

Megan Arthur Schilling was promoted to partner of Cooley LLP in San Diego.

Cooley LLP announced Megan Arthur Schilling has been elected partner in San Diego, effective Jan. 1. Schilling focuses on compensation and benefits for public and private companies. She counsels companies on designing, implementing and disclosing employment, incentive, change-in-control and severance arrangements. Schilling also provides strategic advice to boards of directors and management teams on these matters, as well as new developments and evolving best practices in executive compensation, corporate governance and shareholder engagement.

Susan Marie Krumplitsch was promoted to partner of Cooley LLP in Palo Alto.

Cooley LLP announced Susan Marie Krumplitsch has been elected partner in Palo Alto, effective Jan. 1. Krumplitsch's litigation practice focuses on intellectual property disputes and strategic counseling for life sciences companies with an emphasis on patent litigation. She represents innovative biotechnology, pharmaceutical and medical device companies in trial, appellate and post-grant review proceedings at the US Patent and Trademark Office - including inter partes review proceedings.

John Paul Oleksiuk was promoted to partner of Cooley LLP in Santa Monica.

Cooley LLP announced John Paul "JP" Oleksiuk has been elected partner in Los Angeles, effective Jan. 1. Oleksiuk's practice focuses on litigation, prosecution and counseling in the fields of trademark and copyright law. He litigates trademark and copyright disputes in federal courts, trademark matters before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board and UDRP domain name arbitration proceedings.

Angela Lucille Dunning was promoted to partner of Cooley LLP in Palo Alto.

Cooley LLP announced Angela Lucille Dunning has been elected partner in Palo Alto, effective Jan. 1. Dunning's litigation practice spans a wide array of matters in federal and state court, including complex commercial disputes, trademark, copyright, trade secrets and unfair competition cases.

Jennifer Diane Knapp was promoted to partner of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Palo Alto.

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati announced Jennifer Diane Knapp has been elected partner in Palo Alto, effective Feb. 1. Knapp represents public and private life sciences and technology companies, as well as venture capital and other institutional investors. She focuses on representing companies throughout their entire life cycle from formation to exit, and in all manner of strategic and complex transactions, including corporate formation and structuring, venture capital financings, corporate governance, spin-ins and spin-outs, mergers and acquisitions, public offerings, public company disclosure requirements, and SEC compliance matters. She also advises investors in venture capital financings and other strategic investments and transactions.

Jeffrey Chen joined Bartko Zankel Bunzel & Miller as principal attorney in Bartko Zankel Bunzel & Miller.

Jeffrey Chen is an intellectual property litigator who focuses his practice on high-stakes patent infringement disputes.

Chang Derek Liu was promoted to partner of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in San Francisco.

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati announced Chang Derek Liu has been elected partner in San Francisco, effective Feb. 1. Liu focuses his practice primarily on the technology and life sciences industries. His transactional experience includes public and private company mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures; tender and exchange offers; joint ventures; minority investments; and other strategic corporate transactions, representing both strategic and private equity clients.

John Patrick McGaraghan was promoted to partner of Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati in Palo Alto.

Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati announced John Patrick McGaraghan has been elected partner in Palo Alto, effective Feb. 1. McGaraghan focuses on intellectual property counseling and licensing, and the drafting and negotiation of strategic commercial contracts. He also assists companies with mergers, acquisitions, divestitures, and financing transactions. Additionally, McGaraghan works with public and private companies in the hardware, semiconductor, software, Internet, media, social networking, and advertising industries.

Julia Lee was promoted to counsel of Goodwin Procter LLP in Los Angeles.

Goodwin Procter LLP announced Julia Lee has been promoted to counsel in Los Angeles, effective Jan. 1. Lee is a member of the firm's business law department and a member of its real estate, REITs + real estate capital markets group.

Ruchun Ji was promoted to partner of Sidley Austin LLP in Palo Alto.

Sidley Austin LLP announced Ruchun Ji has been elected partner in Palo Alto, effective Jan. 1. Ji practices in the firm's emerging companies and venture capital practice. His work focuses on general corporate and business law, including China-related mergers and acquisitions, private equity/venture capital financings, joint ventures and public securities offerings. He also advises multinational and startup companies in a number of sectors including biopharmaceutical, wireless media, internet and manufacturing.

Katherine Ann Roberts was promoted to partner of Sidley Austin LLP in Los Angeles.

Sidley Austin LLP announced Katherine Ann Roberts has been elected partner in Los Angeles, effective Jan. 1. Roberts practices in the firm's labor, employment and immigration group. She handles wage-and-hour class and collective actions involving state and federal overtime exemptions, meal and rest period claims and claims under the California Private Attorney General Act (PAGA). She also defends employers against claims of discrimination, harassment, wrongful termination, failure to accommodate and other causes of action arising under state and federal law.

Daniel Roberto O'Neill was promoted to partner of Sidley Austin LLP in San Francisco.

Sidley Austin LLP announced Daniel Roberto O'Neill has been elected partner in San Francisco, effective Jan. 1. O'Neill is a member of the firm's investment funds, advisers and derivatives practice. His practice focuses on the representation of investment managers and fund sponsors in connection with the structuring, formation, funding, and operation of a wide range of investment products and services, including hedge funds, private equity funds, and separately managed accounts. He also regularly counsels investment managers with respect to federal and state registration and compliance issues and general corporate matters.

Brandon Clark Rose was promoted to partner of McManis Faulkner in San Jose.

McManis Faulkner announced Brandon Clark Rose has been elevated to partner in San Jose, effective Jan. 1. Rose is a member of the family law group and represents clients during marital dissolution cases, resolving property and business disputes, as well as contested child custody and support issues.

Andrea Sheridan Ordin joined Strumwasser Woocher as partner in Los Angeles.

Strumwasser & Woocher announced Andrea Sheridan Ordin has joined the firm's public-interest and government-representation practice as senior counsel in Los Angeles. Ordin also serves on the Los Angeles City Ethics Commission, was appointed by President Jimmy Carter as the first female U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California and was only the third woman in the nation to serve as a U.S. attorney. She also served as president of the Los Angeles Police Commission.

Craig Paul Wood joined VLP Law Group LLP as partner in Los Angeles.

VLP Law Group LLP announced Craig Paul Wood has joined the firm's real estate practice group as a partner in Los Angeles. Wood's practice encompasses the representation of institutional investors, private equity sponsors, high net-worth individuals, pension funds, pension fund advisors and private companies in a broad range of real estate projects throughout the United States.

Irene Inkyu Yang was promoted to partner of Sidley Austin LLP in San Francisco.

Sidley Austin LLP announced Irene Inkyu Yang has been elected partner in San Francisco, effective Jan. 1. Yang is a member of the firm's intellectual property litigation practice and represents clients in patent cases across a broad range of industries and technologies, including computer networking and telecommunications, Internet software and e-commerce, video conferencing, operating systems, semiconductors, peritoneal dialysis, large volume infusion pumps, vehicle and asset tracking, biometric fingerprint sensors, needleless intravenous connectors, architectural lighting fixtures and electronic educational toys.